


Trolls and Bugs

by ArthaDemon



Category: Hollow Knight, Original - Fandom, The Shadow of Doubt, Trollhunters
Genre: AU, Gen, Original Character - Freeform, Troll - Freeform, Vessel, Vhessen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:29:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26081968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArthaDemon/pseuds/ArthaDemon
Summary: A Warbred Vhessen named Vherra arrives in a strange world after passing through a dimensional anomaly. After leaping to the defense of two young humans, Vherra finds himself wrapped up in something he never expected as he adjusts to a world that is very, very different from his own. Vherra, however, faces the challenge head on without fear, despite huge evil trolls, ancient sorceresses, and dangers coming from all sides.*Read the notes for a reference of Vherra as well as lore about The Shadow of Doubt, my Hollow Knight AU.
Kudos: 5





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> *Vherra is from my Hollow Knight AU, The Shadow of Doubt and this crossover is not canon to The Shadow of Doubt's story. The Shadow of Doubt is not posted here. Warbred Vhessen belong to me, as do the concepts that come from The Shadow of Doubt.
> 
> Pardon any clunky sections, I was being talked to the entire time I was writing, and will go back and fix it later when I am not being distracted constantly. I rarely write because of this, even if I really enjoy writing.
> 
> (Copy the links and paste into a new tab to view)
> 
> Vherra's Information: https://toyhou.se/7388724.vherra  
> Shadow of Doubt World Lore: https://theshadowofdoubtau.weebly.com/  
> The Shadow of Doubt Tumblr Blog: https://the-shadow-of-doubt.tumblr.com/

A gentle breeze wafted through the forest surrounding Arcadia. Two tall, stately oak trees stood side by side, silent aside from the whooshing of wind flowing through their branches, leaves swaying in the breeze. It was a normal evening, peaceful and quiet. 

As the leaves of the two trees lightly brushed against eachother, something seemed to move between them. The air seemed to ripple briefly. It could have been mistaken for a heat mirage, though it was a cool evening, with the sun starting to set. Another cool breeze wafted through the trees, followed by that strange ripple growing stronger. There were no eyes to see this strange happening, aside from local wildlife which paid it no mind. The contact between the leaves remained for several seconds, the strange rippling, that strange disturbance sparking up and remaining for as long as the leaves touched. 

\------------------------

Far, far away, in another world entirely, a strange creature paced what appeared to be great, ancient caverns carved by a civilization long since vanished into the sands of time He was tall and somewhat resembled an insect with many very clear differences. He stood in a bipedal, almost humanoid manner. His smooth, black chitin was covered in scars, his head appearing almost skull-like missing a horn with a large network of cracks around his eye, revealing a glowing white against his pitch black flesh beneath. It gave the illusion of being heterochromic, as his other eye was quite normal. Or, at least, normal for his kind. His undamaged eye was black with an inner glow reminiscent of the eyeshine of a strange cat, giving it an eerie look, made more eerie by the almost unnatural way the creature moved. 

Sometimes, Vherra got bored. Especially lately; he found himself to be in season; something that came to be a nuisance roughly once a year. It was easy enough to ignore, at least. Simply a surge of hormones that would soon pass, leaving him moody and perhaps uncomfortable. He would have gone to the Coliseum to take out his frustration, but he had remained undefeated for years. There were no gladiators there that could defeat him, and some even gave up when they saw him in the ring. He had a reputation for being tough, strong, and ferocious; a true gladiatorial champion in the fighting ring. But even that, with battle being his passion, had grown boring with time. He almost considered moving on, finding another coliseum, finding more strong warriors to face off against, but he'd made a home in this strange fallen kingdom, Hallownest. It had a peaceful, quiet, secluded and lonely charm he had come to appreciate. The place was mostly abandoned, aside from Vhessen; creatures that his own breed and descended from, wandering around from time to time. He was different from them, however, and didn’t go out of his way to interact with them. 

He was Warbred; Fourth Generation, to be exact. It meant that, four generations ago, his ancestors had been taken from the Abyss, modified, selected, and paired to others to create the first Warbred. Vhessen, still, but bigger. Stronger, fiercer, with a massive beastlike form that made them formidable foes. 

Too strong, perhaps, he thought to himself, tilting his head up to look around. He swore he saw … movement? Up ahead? A strange rippling in an old archway. It was cracked and worn with age, overgrown with moss and glowing fungi. He hadn’t realized how deep into the ancient reaches of Hallownest he had come in his bored, aimless wandering.

He narrowed his eyes as he thought he saw that movement again, as if the air itself was rippling with heat. His antennae quivered. Had he found some ancient volcanic vent? No; no scent of sulphur or hot stone greeted him. Finally, he shrugged. Whatever, maybe he was just tired. He picked up his pace again and continued down the ancient, overgrown pathway.

In a single moment, Vherra found himself regretting his decision. The world spun around him, dizzying and disorienting as he opened his mouth to roar. He felt his throat vibrating, felt the air forced from his lungs in what should have been a terrible, loud, gutteral roar; but there was no sound. He felt a ripple go through him as he shifted into Beast form. He had gained control of this long ago, but it seemed this new, strange sensation had brought it. He looked almost draconic as a long tail appeared and lashed behind him. He tried to find his bearings, limbs flailing as his body twisted not unlike a falling cat, his tail rotating in a futile attempt to serve as a counter balance. He tried to get upright, but there was no up, no down. For the first time that could remember, he felt panic welling up in his chest. 

Moments later, He felt solid ground beneath his claws. Trying to figure out what happened, the Warbred shook himself, stumbling as he tried to get his bearings. Something, however, wasn’t right. Something was … different.

Stretching out around him were bushes. Wait… no, trees. Very small trees, compared to what he was used to. The air felt thin, causing him to have to breathe more heavily. He wasn’t sure if something was wrong with the air, or if he was still terribly disoriented. His long antennae quivered and twitched as he looked around slowly, the air dry and cool against his black chitin. It was nothing like the air he had felt just moments before; the rich, warm, moist air making breathing so much easier than it was now. The breeze switched directions, and the strange rippling between the trees vanished entirely.

“It’s probably a good idea to make sure I can find this place again…” Vherra muttered to himself in his unnaturally guttural voice. It was like the snarling and growling of a great and powerful beast, forced to form words. There was an old, lichen-covered stone a couple feet away. A quick inspection had him satisfied. It’d absorb his scent and hold it, and allow him to find these trees again. He marked the spot before returning to his natural form. He took stock of his situation again. He thought he smelled signs of life not far off, his antennae waving and flicking constantly. Normally, their motion was slow, simply passively brushing the air to gather the scents it held, but this was a new place. Their rapid movement allowed him to better sweep the air for any scent that could be helpful, though at the moment he mostly just smelled the potent pheromones within his own scent mark. Good, at least; that he’d easily find this place again.

He decided to just set out, and walk. He found buildings after a bit; a town, it seemed, though the scents coming from within were very unfamiliar. It was safe to say he wasn't in Hallownest anymore. Even that short walk had him panting, though he refused to acknowledge this strange and new weakness. He made his way deeper into town, staying out of sight as he moved through the shadows. He was an unfamiliar creature here, and he didn't feel like setting an entire town into a panic. He paused when he saw two young humans, speeding past him in the gathering night on their wheeled machines. He had heard of humans before, but had never actually seen one. There was a rumored settlement of them in the kingdom of Kind King Daemarus, though he never had reason to go out that far. These creatures matched the descriptions, with some differences. The human youth sped towards a narrow gap between two buildings. The smell of their fear hit his antennae in the wake of the breeze caused by their passing, potent and thick in the air. Whatever the source of their fear was, was quickly approaching. A strange, massive beast tore past him moments later. The ground practically shook under its thunderous steps. It reached the narrow gap the boys fled to with seconds to spare, roaring its frustration as the chubby boy slipped from its grasp and the two sped away as fast as their little machines could take them. 

The Warbred thought quick, as he saw the beast turning to round the buildings and continue its pursuit. No monster was going to kill two innocent kids, not on Vherra's watch! Roaring a ferocious challenge, Vherra charged at the brute. Hearing that unnatural, guttural earth-shaking roar, feeling it in its very bones, the monstrous brute turned to charge back at him with a savage roar of its own.


	2. Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bular is continuing to hunt the new Trollhunter, but Vherra accidentally provides a distraction that allows Jim to get home safely after leaving Trollmarket. Overhearing a conversation between the brutish Bular and Strickler, Vherra starts to piece together what is going on and becomes determined to protect the young human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains descriptions of blood and injury, and some suggestive material; however anything that happens is simply implied.

Bular was, needless to say, not pleased with the interruption. He attacked with his two large swords swinging. Vherra realized how dangerously sharp they were when one buried itself in the concrete inches away from his foot, and another nearly knocked his greatnail from his powerful grip and moved on to slice through the natural chitinous armor on his side. He felt a stab of pain and black blood oozing down his side, but barely gave it any mind; it was but a scratch to a Warbred. Any normal bug would have become afraid and run away, but Vherra found himself grinning. Finally, a challenge! He might even need his Beast form for this! It had been a long time since he had actually needed to make use of his large, powerful werelike form. Just as the massive troll seemed to be getting the upper hand, Vherra leapt back, just out of range of Bular's swinging swords. Mid lunge, he dropped his greatnail on the ground with a metallic clatter and transformed. He snapped his jaws at Bular’s arm, and made contact. The element of surprise had, indeed, worked. The stone skin of the Gumm-Gumm resisted the Warbred’s powerful jaws more than he thought it would, and this took Vherra by surprise. His bite did not do nearly as much damage as he had hoped. A heavy blow to his injured side nearly knocked the wind out of him with a sharp crack. The pain of the boney armor cracking beneath the chitin plating would have been blinding for any normal bug, but he barely even winced. Even now, he was enjoying himself! He hadn’t actually been injured in battle in such a long time, and the thrill made his blood boil. Hormones likely didn’t help, even if fighting made him completely forget about the irritating discomfort of his heat. He stepped back and reared on his back legs, unleashing another roar, more terrible than the first. Loud and sustained, unnatural like the roar of the very Abyss itself. A wave of power rumbled from his jaws, actually pushing Bular back. Vherra’s eyes glowed brighter, tendrils of Void lashing around him. It didn’t rattle the huge troll for long, however, because Bular quickly came swinging again. 

Vherra soon found that he'd underestimated his foe. Even unleashing his ferocious Abyssal Roar barely slowed Bular down. Vherra was impressed. He was even more impressed when not only did Bular win, but Vherra practically had his ass handed to him on a silver platter! He found himself pinned against a wall by the unnaturally strong grip of the beast. For the first time since attacking the troll, he felt a stab of nervousness. He saw one of those twin swords raised, ready to strike down and deal the final blow. Vherra snarled and struggled, hoping to get away at least enough to breathe another day. He was not ready to die. Bular was close, so close he could feel his breath against his face, when the big troll froze.

The scent emanating from Vherra hit Bular like a truck. Powerful, alluring, inviting, pulling at deep-seated beastial instincts that threatened to surge to the surface. There was no mistaking that smell; heat. It made his blood boil. His pupils dilated for a moment, before he quickly caught himself and let out a snort, shaking his head to try to clear it. Vherra took that moment to struggle away, breaking Bular’s grip on him, which had slacked with the troll’s distraction. Succeeding in escaping, he limped away a few steps. Despite that close call, Vherra still seemed to smirk as he struggled to catch his breath, sides heaving as his tongue lolled from between his jagged jaws. He was winded, sore and bleeding, but elated all the same.

“HAH! Impressive!” The Warbred said breathlessly. He was practically beaming. “Ya fuck as good as ya fight, big boy?” His long tail swayed back and forth, head high and posture almost flirtatious.

The look of confusion that crossed Bular’s face was almost palpable, followed by a snort of distaste. The Trollhunter had gotten away during the fight, which angered Bular even more. He shook himself one more time with a deep , guttural growl. He turned and tore off around the buildings without a word to continue his pursuit of the two young humans. 

Vherra realized then that he was quite sore, and bleeding. He paused to groom the blood off himself, and focus on the life energy he held within to heal his wounds. Or, at least, start the process that his Wereform would finish.

After a bit, Vherra stood and started to explore the town a bit more. It was perhaps an hour later that he could hear that familiar, furious roaring again. Antennae flicking up, he started to follow the sound. 

“Sheesh… this guy has worse anger issues than I do.” Vherra grumbled to himself as he heard the heavy thud of Bular’s fist hitting a concrete wall followed by another thunderous, angry roar. Bular yanked his swords from the concrete, before he stiffened again. That smell had returned to taunt him! That maddening, alluring smell that set his blood to boiling and his heart to hammering in his chest!

“Sooo… care to claim your prize?” Vherra asked, with a smug smirk. 

“What-” Bular started with a growl. 

“Back in the Coliseum, I often made a little wager. Winner fucks the loser. You won fair and square. Needless to say… I don’t lose often.” Vherra said. “And I just happen to be in the mood for a little fun, lucky brute.” His guttural voice dripped with smugness. Bular’s confused and angry expression emboldened the Warbred. “Lemme guess, nobody’s offered before, hm? Maybe it's that breath of yours or that tacky outfit. I mean, skulls? Really? Maybe there are some who like the bad boys but that's just trying too hard.” 

Bular's growl grew louder and angrier at Vherra's words. Losing the Trollhunter, a simple human whelp - and now being baited by this… thing? His growl turned into a furious snarl. Everything about Vherra infuriated him. He hated the way he didn’t cower before him. He hated how much that smell drew him in like a moth to the flame, the way it lit a fire within him. He hated that he hadn’t crushed that bug; hated that he found himself desiring the strange creature! The longer that scent tormented him, the more his blood boiled and mind fogged over.

Instinct won, in the end. This creature was not a troll. Not even close, but Bular had to take his frustration and rage out on something!

He was distracted so thoroughly that by the time he gathered his wits again, his prey had escaped his clutches once again and was safely in his home. He was contemplating tearing the door off its hinges and devouring the boy and his mother right then and there when the Impure, Stricklander as he called him, exited the house to lecture him. 

Just as they walked away from the Trollhunter’s home, Strickler turned to look at Bular, his eyes narrowed. “Smells like somebody got busy earlier.” The Changeling said, perhaps a bit smugly. "Is that why you couldn't catch a simple human child?"

“Silence, Impure, or I will take you as my meal to replace that fleshbag whelp!” Bular roared angrily. Defensively, even. Strickler knew better than to try Bular’s patience, and wisely shut his mouth. For now.

Vherra, who was nearby, heard the entire exchange. He watched the two leave, before glancing back towards the window, where he could see the boy at the stove, cooking. Safe.

“Hmmf… poor kid.” He muttered to himself, settling behind some bushes in his natural form. From what he could gather, the boy had become the target of the angry brute due to being the “Trollhunter”, or something like that. Funny, that he was called a hunter when he was very much being the one hunted. Such a small, fragile and soft creature didn’t stand a chance against such a monster; and Vherra became determined to protect him. He was exhausted, though, and really needed to rest so he could finish healing and perhaps adjust more to this alien environment he had found himself in. He fell asleep where he was, hidden in the foliage behind the fence.


End file.
